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Written by: Coralee Bechteler
Coralee is a business writer with experience in administrative services, education, and software testing.
Edited by: David Lepeska
David has been writing and learning about business, finance and globalization for a quarter-century, starting with a small New York consulting firm in the 1990s.
Published on August 14, 2022
Updated on March 11, 2024
If you’re starting an LLC in Pennsylvania, the business entity formation process is one of the first and most important hurdles. This step can be terribly complex and time-consuming, which is why many entrepreneurs turn to professional formation services.
But which are the best LLC formation services in Pennsylvania? This article takes a closer look, stepping into an entrepreneur’s shoes, to help you choose the service that puts you on the road to success.
Here we summarize our top picks of business formation services in Pennsylvania.
Best Overall
Best Registered Agent Service
Best Turnaround Time
Best Legal Assistance
Best for Variety of Business-Essential Services
Best for Speedy Processing
For those looking to establish a Pennsylvania LLC, ZenBusiness offers a range of plans tailored to your business needs.
The Starter plan ($0 plus Pennsylvania state fees) provides a business name availability search and full support during the LLC formation process in Pennsylvania.
The Pro plan ($199 plus Pennsylvania state fees) builds on the Starter plan, offering an operating agreement template tailored for a Pennsylvania LLC, an EIN, an annual compliance service, and rush filing in the state.
The Premium plan ($349 plus Pennsylvania state fees) encompasses all Pro plan services and further includes a business document template library, domain name, website, and email services apt for Pennsylvania businesses.
ZenBusiness stands out as the best overall LLC filing company for Pennsylvania entrepreneurs, with its affordable base service that includes the entire LLC filing process and a 100% accuracy guarantee, all starting at just $0 plus Pennsylvania’s state fees.
An added highlight is ZenBusiness’s identity as a Public Benefit Corporation, signaling a balance between for-profit operations and community-driven goals.
In addition to forming a Pennsylvania LLC, ZenBusiness offers a broad spectrum of services, from registered agents to state-tailored business tools. Their historical reputation is commendable, with a slew of positive feedback from their clientele.
ZenBusiness offers valuable services for budding entrepreneurs. While registered agent services are an add-on, their excellent customer support, user-friendly site, and positive reviews make them a top choice.
Northwest offers a comprehensive plan priced at $39 plus Pennsylvania state fees. This plan covers business formation in Pennsylvania, free registered agent services for a year, a designated business address, and an operating agreement tailored to Pennsylvania’s regulations, among other additional features.
The value of this plan is evident, especially when considering the inclusion of registered agent services and a Pennsylvania-specific operating agreement, both of which are crucial components of any LLC. However, it’s worth noting that even if you decide against opting for the registered agent services, the full plan price remains unchanged.
Primarily, Northwest Registered Agent is renowned for its exceptional registered agent services. Catering to Pennsylvania LLCs, they are recognized for their attentive customer support and swift notification regarding any official correspondence.
We recommend Northwest Registered Agent because of their transparent pricing, outstanding customer service, and a commitment to maintaining your privacy. They pride themselves on personalizing their approach to meeting your registered agent needs, which are their specialty.
If you’re launching a Pennsylvania LLC, consider Swyft Filings. Their Basic package, at just Pennsylvania state fees, ensures company name verification, Pennsylvania-specific Certificate of Organization preparation, and document filing. It also provides online document access and lifetime support.
Their $199 Standard package, plus Pennsylvania state fees, encompasses the Basic offerings, adds a custom operating agreement, a federal tax ID (EIN), custom banking resolution services, and organizational minutes to set up your Pennsylvania LLC’s first meeting.
For a comprehensive service, the $299 Premium package (plus state fees) includes everything in the Standard, expedited Pennsylvania filing, a business document library, compliance alerts, a business domain and website, and a digital LLC kit with company “seal”, ownership ledger, and custom certificates.
Notably, Swyft Filings boasts stellar customer support and positive reviews from Pennsylvania entrepreneurs.
Swyft Filings offers fast processing but doesn’t include registered agent services in their packages, making additions somewhat costly. However, they provide good value overall and strong customer support.
LegalZoom presents several options for forming an LLC in Pennsylvania. Their Basic plan is priced at only Pennsylvania state fees and covers a business name availability search specific to Pennsylvania, along with their business formation service. You’ll benefit from full customer support, a digital welcome packet, and a business website for your Pennsylvania enterprise. Additionally, you can access your formation documents online anytime.
The $249 Pro plan includes all features of the Basic plan but adds an operating agreement tailored for Pennsylvania LLCs, an EIN, a business license guide, and initial phone consultations with specialists familiar with Pennsylvania regulations.
At $299, the Premium plan provides everything in the Pro plan, coupled with unlimited 30-minute attorney consultations and the ability to make changes to your Pennsylvania LLC for 30 days, all with expert guidance from a business attorney experienced in Pennsylvania law.
LegalZoom stands out with its vast array of additional legal services and documents, making it a comprehensive choice for Pennsylvania LLCs.
LegalZoom’s services are easy to use and they offer great customer experience. They offer a wider variety of legal services and have been in business for more than 20 years. Overall, they’re a great one-stop shop for all of your business formation and legal needs.
Tailor Brands presents several plans tailored to your needs. Their Lite plan, priced at $49 plus Pennsylvania state fees, ensures your business formation within Pennsylvania, adhering to the state’s standard processing times.
For those requiring more comprehensive support, their Essential plan, priced at $199 annually, not only includes the services of the Lite Plan but also offers an annual compliance service specific for Pennsylvania LLCs, an operating agreement suitable for the Pennsylvania legal landscape, and expedited processing.
The Elite plan, set at $249 annually, is designed for Pennsylvania LLCs aiming for a robust digital presence. It provides a domain name, eight distinct logos, and a business website builder, among other benefits.
Tailor Brands sets itself apart in the Pennsylvania market by providing a range of modern business tools, such as a logo maker and website builder, making it a top choice for budding Pennsylvania businesses.
Tailor Brands’ plans are a decent value, but the main reason that we chose them for the list is the extensive business tools they offer. If you can overcome their aggressive sales tactics, you can access a variety of services to meet all your business needs.
Filenow provides a range of packages tailored to the state’s requirements. The Starter plan, priced at $49, is designed specifically for Pennsylvania businesses and offers company compliance alerts, a tailored tax consultation, and provisions for a business bank account within Pennsylvania.
Their Premium plan, designed for a Pennsylvania LLC seeking comprehensive services, comes at $199. It boasts a host of features, including a free year of registered agent services pertinent to Pennsylvania, an operating agreement that aligns with Pennsylvania laws, an EIN, a banking resolution, business contract templates optimized for the state, and a rapid 24-hour processing time.
What sets Filenow apart in the Pennsylvania LLC formation landscape is its swift processing times and a reliable money-back guarantee. Particularly, their Premium plan stands out as an outstanding value proposition for businesses in Pennsylvania.
Filenow’s Premium plan is an exceptional value based on what you get for the price. It’s less expensive than similar plans offered by competitors. They also offer fast turnaround times, and a money back guarantee.
A business formation service handles the business formation process for you, making it nearly seamless while offering additional services that can make life easier for a new business owner. Whether you’re forming a limited liability company (LLC) or a corporation, a business formation service takes care of all the red tape, freeing you up to focus on growing your business.
With so many business formation services to choose from, it can be difficult to decide which is best for you. There are four essential elements that can help you make your decision.
Each service offers various products and services, and their plans are all designed differently. You may need some services but not others, so you need to choose the service that offers everything you need. For example, only some of the providers offer annual report filing.
If it’s important to you to get that task off your plate, you’ll want a service that offers that feature. Another feature you might need is a digital dashboard where you can always access your business formation documents.
You’ll want to choose a service that has everything you need to make starting and running your business as easy as possible.
Of course, you’ll want to get the best value for your money!
Compare the cost of each service for everything you need. The price can really add up when you start adding extras, so be careful not to go too far. You also want to get good value and great customer service, so if you’re considering the cheapest service, check the reviews to see how people feel about it.
Business formation turnaround times vary with each service, so if you’re in a hurry to get your business up and running, you’ll want to look for the quickest service. You don’t want your order to sit in an office too long before your paperwork gets filed with the state. Some services differentiate themselves with fast turnaround times, so if they also offer good value, that might be your best choice.
One good way to learn about the quality of anything you’re buying is to listen to what people are saying about it. When we review services we look at Better Business Bureau and Trustpilot ratings and reviews. It’s wise to look at both positive and negative reviews to find out what people love about the service and about issues customers have encountered.
Remember that fake reviews are common, so you should take some of the reviews with a grain of salt.
As an entrepreneurial advisory site, we take our responsibilities seriously. We understand that countless entrepreneurs, and potential entrepreneurs, rely on our judgments and insights, particularly when it comes to creating their business.
As a result, our writers do their utmost to gain a comprehensive understanding of the services offered and the actual customer experience. In nearly every case, we:
Thanks to this full immersion in the actual customer experience, our reviewers are able to provide the most complete and insightful analysis of various LLC formation services.
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